3 ways WWE is failing Gunther's World Heavyweight Title reign
Gunther has been WWE World Heavyweight Champion since SummerSlam 2024. The Ring General dethroned Damian Priest at The Biggest Party of the Summer to claim his first World Title in the Stamford-based promotion. The Ring General has since been a dominant champion. The likes of Priest, Randy Orton, and Jey Uso have stepped up to face the Imperium leader, but none have managed to dethrone him.
While the 36-year-old's reign has been characterized by his signature blend of in-ring bangers and dominant heel character work, his booking has left some fans dissatisfied. These viewers feel certain mistakes have been made which have not allowed The Ring General to reach his full potential in his first World Title reign.
Here are three ways WWE may be failing Gunther in his first World Heavyweight Title reign:
#3. Repetitive booking has weighed down Gunther's reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion
Before Gunther was WWE World Heavyweight Champion, he was Intercontinental Champion for 666 days. The Ring General smashed through all expectations to set a new standard for the mid-card title, proving himself ready to make the step up to the main event picture. His time with the World Heavyweight Title started off well, but it seems to have plateaued due to repetitive booking patterns.
Most of the Austrian star's feuds as World Heavyweight Champion have been rehashes of his Intercontinental Title programs. Stars like Jey Uso and Sami Zayn challenged the 36-year-old during his previous record-breaking reign and have also faced him in his current one. Then there's Damian Priest, who the champion dethroned and has gone on to face twice more.
With a wealth of top talent on the roster, limiting the field to such a small pool of challengers has been frustrating to many fans
#2. Gunther's character tweaks as champion have received mixed reactions from the WWE Universe
As record-breaking WWE Intercontinental Champion, Gunther was a ruthless and dominant character, drawing comparison to past no-nonsense monster heels like Brock Lesnar. When The Ring General became World Heavyweight Champion, a new dimension was introduced to his character, exhibiting a more vulnerable aspect.
While some fans welcomed this attempt to flesh out The Imperium leader a bit further, others felt it made him unnecessarily weak. As a result, his believability has taken a hit with that section of fans, affecting their perception of his reign. While most of the audience has enjoyed the 36-year-old's newfound savage humor and complexity, it's hard to deny that he comes off as less dominant than he used to be.
#1. WWE has failed to deliver multiple dream matches fans expected to see during Gunther's reign
When Gunther became WWE World Heavyweight Champion, fans were excited to see him mix it up with the cream of the crop at the top of the card. The prospect of The Ring General mixing it up with the likes of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and more filled the audience with anticipation, but that anticipation has largely gone unfulfilled.
The Austrian Superstar's dream match with Randy Orton delivered on expectations, but clashes with the likes of CM Punk, and John Cena, which felt destined to happen, now seem unlikely. With Jey Uso highly favored to dethrone the dominant 36-year-old champion, Gunther's first World Title reign could end with more what-if scenarios than realized memorable feuds.
